When a superhero film contains a character called Gorr, the God Butcher, portrayed by noted dramatic actor Christian Bale, it might be a bit of a surprise to moviegoers when said film turns out to be outrageously funny. While the first two Thor films ranked among the lower end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in terms of moviegoer satisfaction, the role that the God of Thunder would play in the franchise was forever changed with the release of 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. The film introduced fans to the less serious side of Chris Hemsworth’s musclebound Norseman, which was not only a refreshing take on the character, but it was a hit with MCU fans.
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Thor: Love and Thunder has had somewhat mixed reviews since its recent release, but not even the most critical reviewer can deny that the film was absolutely bonkers and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Despite the many dark moments that the movie contains, which include the kidnappings of a town’s worth of children and the passing of a fan-favorite character, Thor: Love and Thunder still managed to make audiences fall out of their seats with laughter.
Here is why the most recent installment in the Thor franchise might be the funniest film in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A Pair of Gargantuan Screaming Goats
Early on in Thor: Love and Thunder, Thor is gifted a pair of giant goats after he saves a planet from an invasion alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy. Though the goats prove helpful later in the film, as they have the ability to pull the ship in which Thor and his friends traverse the universe, they have one glaring fault. These goats scream… a lot.
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Though the gifted goats seem like they will be a one-off joke, the bit goes on for an incredibly long time. Whenever the screaming starts to grate on audiences, it goes away for a bit, only to return at the exact right moment to make the bit funny again. It is a classic comedic move to run a joke into the ground to the point where it once again becomes funny, and the screaming goats represent this trope in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Russell Crowe’s Zeus, The God of Lightning
The God of Thunder and those in his super-powered circle are real-life representations of Norse mythological figures. While the implications of the Thor films have always led fans to believe that Thor’s existence necessitates the existence of other gods within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was not until Thor: Love and Thunder that this idea was fully explored. This all changes when Thor and his companions travel to Omnipotence City, a golden empyrean city nestled among the clouds that house the universe’s most powerful deities. Included is the king of all gods, Zeus, the God of Lightning, who is portrayed by Russell Crowe.
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Initially, Hemsworth’s Thor believes that he will be able to enlist Zeus and a handful of other deities in his fight against Gorr, the God butcher. However, it is quickly revealed that Zeus is utterly terrified of Gorr and his powerful Necrosword, which has the power to kill even the most powerful deity. Eventually, Thor steals Zeus’ lightning bolt after throwing it through his golden chest plate, but not before Russell Crowe delivers a hilarious performance. Instead of being the regal figure that Thor anticipates, Zeus is a bombastic showboat who talks less about saving the universe and more about orgies.
Taika Waititi’s Korg’s Narration and Deadpan Delivery
Audiences were only recently introduced to Korg, a CGI rock monster voiced by Taika Waititi. Along with voicing Korg, Waititi also helmed both Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder as director. Korg has quickly found his way into the hearts of Marvel film fans everywhere with his deadpan delivery and childish sense of wonder.
Korg is the narrator of Thor: Love and Thunder, which frames the film in a hilarious light. Early in the film, Korg is shown to be telling the story of Thor to an audience of children. His constant oversimplification of Thor’s story, coupled with the rock monster’s malapropisms, provides the perfect backdrop to the film’s hilarity.
Thor: Love and Thunder is perhaps have been the most hilarious film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far. Its audiences got to see a pair of profoundly irritating goats, an orgy-obsessed God of Lightning, and the comedic narration of a goofy rock monster. Due to the success of the past two Thor films, Taiki Waititi will, in all likelihood, be asked to return for future installments in the God of Thunder franchise. As such, audiences can hope to see Thor out on another hilarious romp in upcoming years.
